The present invention relates computer-based systems and methods for facilitating the arrangement of meetings between two or more individuals by allowing individuals to post electronic invitations and other individuals to review and accept such posted invitations.
Several publications are referenced in this application. The references describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains and are hereby incorporated by reference.
There are a variety of on-line networking services that allow users to learn about other users and possibly network with such other users, such as MySpace.com, Friendster.com, Orkut.com, and Plaxo.com. An online social network allows an individual to easily keep track of relationships that the individual has with other people by leveraging the internet. Each individual maintains his or her own account profile on the online social network, and defines who his or her related individuals are. Once defined, the online social network retains the relationship. Such services are passive in that they merely provide a means to learn of other users of similar interest, without providing an active means to initiate networking with those of specific interests. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved system and method which overcomes the above described disadvantages.
Evite.com allows users to send invitations for specific events to specific individuals selected by the user.
Meetup.com allows users to find “Meetups” with others who share a common interest or cause or create a “Meetup Group” for others to attend.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,963,900 to Boyd, commonly assigned with the present application and hereby incorporated by reference, discloses systems and methods that allow individuals to meet and network with other individuals at a specified time and place. According to the patented invention, a first user “posts” an invitation for a meeting which includes a proposed time (or time range) and place for the meeting and, if desired, any preferences or criteria such as who the first user is interested in meeting with (e.g., a computer scientist, an attorney, a resident from a particular city, alumni from a particular college, etc.). The “invitation” is reviewed by such users. When one or more users “accept” the “invitation”, a meeting may be established.